Know your foes

By Djanwar Madjolelo

JAKARTA (JP): Bridge Today magazine sponsors an annual Great Hands Contest. The 1995 winner has just been selected.

Herb Lavine of Westfield, New Jersey, entered this deal from a Rubber Bridge game in which he made three No Trumps against a fine play by Jack Dreyfus. Dreyfus is a well known figure in financial circles as the founder of The Dreyfus Fund. Lavine receives a US$100 prize.

The clue to the hand was declarer's knowledge of the players. Dreyfus was known to be a clever defender and East had a reputation for aggressive bidding.

Dealer: East Vulnerable: All

NORTH

(S) A K 2

(H) K Q 8

(D) A K 7 3 2

(C) 8 2

WEST EAST

(S) 10 9 8 6 3 (S) Q J 7 5

(H) 7 6 5 (H) A 10 9 3

(D) Q J 8 (D) 10 4

(C) K 3 (C) J 9 7

SOUTH

(S) 4

(H) J 4 2

(D) 9 6 5

(C) A Q 10 6 5 4

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

Dreyfus Levine

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- - - Pass

Pass 1D Pass 1NT

Pass 2NT Pass 3NT

All pass

Dreyfus led the Spade 10. Levine won with the Ace in dummy, East playing the Queen, and then led a Club to the 10, which held.

If Dreyfus had taken the King, declarer would have had nine easy tricks.

Lavine led a Diamond to Dreyfus' Queen and dummy's Ace. The King of Hearts was led, East winning with the Ace. East continued with a low Spade and when declarer ducked, Spades were continued as East threw the Jack of Spades under the King.

Declarer cashed two round of Hearts and the Diamond King. Needing two more tricks, he led a Club toward the South hand.

Lavine took into account East's pass over North's fourth-seat one Diamond opening. If East had the Club KJx and the same hand, wouldn't he have made a takeout double?

On this reasoning, Lavine went up with the Ace and cashed the Club Queen on which fell the King and the of CLubs. They were playing "no overtricks."